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Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

Originally Posted by Drew Bedo

Could 3-D printing technology be used to make parts for the injection molded Titan cameras? What about a plastic Grafmatic? How about a lens board. Mounting flanges or retaining rings; could they be made this way? What about Lens cones for Fotoman bodoes or Holga bodies that are light-tight?

Anybody have an idea that is worth doing this way?

I think you could do any of these things. You need to be able to make the plans for the printer. It's probably beyond my skill level. I'm not sure that you could mold threads or something like that. But I think you can pretty much make any shape you want.

Yeah if someone would make a plan for a cam, a lensboard and a back for the Polaroid 900, we'd be seriously talking. That would be cool. They go for about $20 or less on ebay, I have a premo one but I'll likely never get to it. The viewfinder on these cameras is pretty sweet. Leica on steroids. It's actually a Fuji MF rangefinder on steroids.

Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

And here it is !!!!
As I promised ... this is the 3d printed model of my device !!!!

You can see it free and coupled with a Fuji PA-45 holder ... just for test !!!!
And i'm very proud and excited to confirm that it works !!!
I'm able to use the viewfinder and the rangefinder .... and i've mounted it in about ten minutes ... just the time to remove the inges of the original parts !!!

Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

Originally Posted by ml_pisel

And here it is !!!!
As I promised ... this is the 3d printed model of my device !!!!

You can see it free and coupled with a Fuji PA-45 holder ... just for test !!!!
And i'm very proud and excited to confirm that it works !!!
I'm able to use the viewfinder and the rangefinder .... and i've mounted it in about ten minutes ... just the time to remove the inges of the original parts !!!

Well after poo-pooing you, I have to say, NICE JOB! That's exactly what I was hoping to do.

Not sure what the tab is on the viewfinder side. What's that for?

How much are you planning on selling these for?

If you could do a lensboard for the 900 that would mount with the original hardware, and a cam for the rangefinder, I would buy one. Probably, anyway.

Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

Thanks,
1- Tab on the viewfinder was design to be shure that there will be no interferences between rangefinder and the back itself ... but I will probably remove it in the final version ...
2- The beauty of this thing is that it can be used with all similar cameras ( I hope ) .... Infact this is tested with my 110A Pathfinder, but I have also a 900 and I'll test it in this days..... but I think that 110A, 110B, 120, 150, 160, 800, 850, 900 share same back a most of their components so with one device it will possible to convert ( and re-use ) a great number of abandoned cameras !!!

3- Final price of this thing will be about 280-300 euros not more .... but I want to explain why: final pieces have to be in aluminum or ergal .... or similar material, made by a cnc milling machine. People who made this kind of work realize a minimun of 100 pieces with a fixed cost of programming cnc machine. So initial cost for me will be very heavy and a little risky!! So i'm thinking to make a kind of pre-order buying ( with a resonable discount ) directly from Ebay.

Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

Hmmm...well...that's way too expensive for me. But why do you have to make them out of aluminum? Why not 3-d print them? Or sell the pattern for 3d printing? I think plastic would be fine.

For 3d model that you see i've spent about 350,00 eur.
It'a made in ABS plastic and it's quite hard but threads for screw won't be very resisting so this model is good for testing purpose and not for a long use. This is why it's better to do a aluminum one.

And for 3d file i don't think i'll sell cause like all of digital contents it will be available for download in warez forum after a few minutes!!!

Re: POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

Originally Posted by Drew Bedo

aluncrockford: Thanks for the link. I read some of the blog and watched the video. Seems that at the end, he had adapted a pack film back to accept a single load for a tintype Dagureiotype or maybe a glass plate. I don't see how one could load a 4x5 film holder ("double dark-slide") or Grafmatic magazine.

What most of us (me anyway) are looking for is a way to conveniently shoot 4x5 films with a hand-held rangefinder camera at a reasonable cost.

I owned two Pola Conversions made by Steve at Alpenhause.
They were wonderful; accurate rangefinder, close-up option, sleek profile, and used every 4x5 back on the market.
And he's priced well below $1000 for basic conversions.

Not to hijack the OP's thread, his dedication and skill are admirable, but since you asked...